Garrett, John W. (John Work), 1820-1884 Search this
Latrobe, Benj. H. (Benjamin Henry), 1807-1878 Search this
Collector:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
Extent:
33 Cubic feet (76 boxes, 46 map-folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Annual reports
Correspondence
Drawings
Glass plate negatives
Negatives (photographic)
Photographs
Tracings
Date:
1827-1987
Summary:
The collection consists of correspondence, invoices, drawings, photographs, and negatives and other printed literature documenting the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from its inception in 1827 to its merger with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in the 1960s.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of correspondence, engineering drawings, notes, photographs, transparencies, negatives, glass plate negatives, printed materials, and newspaper clippings documenting the Baltimore and Ohio railroad from its inception in 1827 to its merger with the Chesapeake and Ohio in the 1960s.
Arrangement:
The records are arranged into ten series.
Series 1, Historical Background, 1827-1987
Series 2, Bridge Histories, 1867-1966
Series 3, President's Office, 1826-1880
Series 4, Correspondence, 1826-1859
Series 5, Business Records, 1894-1914, and undated
Series 6, Agreement, 1870
Series 7, Drawings, 1858-1957, and undated
Subseries 7.1, Indices and Lists, 1924-1943, undated
Subseries 7.2, Bailey's Station, 1887; 1899; 1901
Subseries 7.3, Baltimore Belt Railroad, 1895, undated
Subseries 7.4, Bay View and Canton Bridges, 1884-1885
Subseries 9.4, Negatives by location, 1870; 1978-1983
Subseries 9.5, Negatives by subject, 1922-1930s, undated
Series 10, Stations and Buildings, 1884-1982
Biographical / Historical:
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was the nation's first extensive steam powered railroad. It was founded by Baltimore merchants in 1827 as a means of promoting trade and making Baltimore competitive with other east coast ports. The original intent of the founders was to provide direct and fast access to the Ohio River, and the markets that the river reached. The railroad, however, went beyond the Ohio River and its lines went as far west as St. Louis and Chicago. The B&O was also known for its use of an electric locomotive in the mid 1890s. It also had a completely air conditioned train, and it was a forerunner in the use of diesel-electric locomotives. Company activities paralleled those of other American railroads and over the course of its life included expansion, near bankruptcy, innovations, regulations, and finally buy out. In February 1963, the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) completed its purchase of the B&O. Today, B&O is part of the CSX Transportation (CSX) network.
John Work Garrett president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 1858-1884, was born in Baltimore, Maryland July 31, 1820. He was the second son of Elizabeth Stouffer and Robert Garrett. He married Rachel Ann Harrison, the daughter of Thomas Harrison, a Baltimore merchant. They had one daughter, Mary and two sons Robert and Thomas Harrison Garrett.
After attending Lafayette College (Pennsylvania) for two years John W. Garrett left in 1836 to become associated with his father's commission business in Baltimore. The commission house which dealt in wholesale groceries, produce, forwarding and a commission business expanded to establish direct connections with Latin America, seek outlets in Europe and develop its own banking operations. In time its financial operations overshadowed the commission and shipping business.
When John W. Garrett began to invest heavily in Baltimore and Ohio Railroad stock, the road was in competition with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the stock was not popular. Its value rose steadily over the years. Mr. Garrett was elected a director of the railroad in 1855. His report as chairman of a subcommittee on the need for additional funds to complete the line to the Ohio River led to his election to the presidency of the road on November 17, 1858, a position he held for 26 years. New policies with emphasis on economy, personal supervision and gradual expansion were inaugurated and consistently maintained, in spite of a general financial crisis, Mr. Garrett's first year in office showed a net gain in earnings.
Sympathetic to his southern friends during the Civil War, Mr. Garrett nevertheless supported the Union. He recognized the inevitability of Confederate defeat by superior northern resources. Confederate leaders blamed him for their inability to seize Washington and he received warm appreciation for his services to the Union cause from President Lincoln. The railroad stretched along the theater of war and twice crossed Confederate territory. It was, therefore, a main objective for southern attack. Branches were frequently damaged by Confederate raids, but the main line to Washington became important for the transport of troops and supplies. The Baltimore and Ohio carried out the first military rail transport in history and the transfer of 20,000 men from the Potomac to Chattanooga in 1863 was a major triumph for its president.
With the advent of peace Mr. Garrett turned to rebuilding and strengthening the railroad. He replaced equipment and track damaged by the war, then extended the system by securing direct routes to Pittsburgh and Chicago and arranging an independent line into New York. Wharves were built at Locust Point for ocean liners and a system of elevators erected. The B&O. built its own sleeping and dining cars, established hotels in the mountains and created its own express company. By 1880, after battles over rates with other trunk lines, a costly rivalry with the Pennsylvania Railroad over the eastern route and charges of discrimination against local shippers Mr. Garrett was at the height of his success. He cooperated in establishing the B. and 0. Employees Relief Association for accident and life insurance, a hospital system, saving and building funds, and arrangements for improving sanitation in the work place. He was on friendly terms with Johns Hopkins, a trustee of John Hopkins Hospital, and with George Peabody, founder of the Peabody institute of which he was also a trustee. Garrett County, Maryland was named in his honor.
John W. Garrett died on September 26, 1884 within a year of his wife's death in a carriage accident. During his connection with the railroad the stock increased from $57 to $200; at the outbreak of the Civil War the railroad was operating 514 miles of rail, gross earnings were $4,000,097 and net per mile was $4246.1 By 1864 gross earnings were $10,138,876 and net per mile, $7113.2 By the end of his presidency mileage had increased to 1711 miles and net earnings were $4535 per mile.3
References
1 -- National Cyclopedia of American Biography -- Vol. 18:3
2 -- National Cyclopedia of American Biography -- Vol. 18:3
3 -- National Cyclopedia of American Biography -- Vol. 18:3
Related Materials:
Materials at Other Organizations
Maryland Historical Society
Baltimore and Ohio Museum
Provenance:
This collection was donated to the National Museum of American History by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the 1960s.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Connecticut Town finances equipment and construction of a plant for manufacturing paper towelettes used for washing face and hands; sanitation. Employees design many of their own tools. R. R. Williams Co. and Industrial Development Association, Canaan, CT.
Ohio The wallpaper industry and a school for paperhangers. Cleveland, OH.
Washington Making specialized glass that scientists can look through to see 'hot" cells in atomic research without danger from radiation. Penberthy Instrument Co., Seattle, WA.
Florida Fresh orange juice pumped onto sea-going tanker, the S. S. "Tropicana," for delivery to New York where shipped to processing plants; food industry. Fruit Industries, Inc., Cocoa, FL.
Reference video, Box 10
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but the films are stored off-site. Special arrangements must be made directly with the Archives Center staff to view episodes for which no reference copy exists. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees will be charged for reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Industry on Parade Film Collection, 1950-1959, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Fuller, George W. (George Warren), 1868-1934 Search this
Waring, George E., Jr. (George Edwin), 1833-1898 Search this
Donor:
Greeley, Samuel A. (Samuel Arnold), 1882-1968 Search this
Extent:
8.1 Cubic feet (32 boxes, 1 map-folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Contracts
Photographs
Publications
Reports
Date:
1860-1923
Summary:
Collection documents, primarily through printed publications, Rudolph Hering's work on waste disposal, drainage, water flow of rivers, sanitary and hydraulic engineering, and municipal sewage systems in the United States and in other countries.
Scope and Contents note:
This collection contains pamphlets, reports, conference proceedings and journal articles, collected by Hering, about waste disposal, municipal sewage systems in the United States and other countries, drainage, water flow of rivers, experimental sewage investigations, and sanitary and hydraulic engineering. Some of the writings were authored by Rudoplph Hering, but many were authored by other civil engineers, such as George Waring, George Fuller, George Soper, and Gilbert Fowler to name a few.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into three series.
Series 1: United States Publications, 1874-1916
Series 2: Foreign Publications, 1871-1951
Series 3: General Publications, 1860-1923
Biographical/Historical note:
Rudolf Hering (1847-1923) was born in Philadelphia and educated in Dresden, Germany. He graduated from the Royal Saxon Polytechnic Institute in 1867 with a degree in civil engineering. Hering returned to the United States and worked as a leveler in Brooklyn, New York for C.C. Martin, chief engineer of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. From 1869 to 1872, Hering worked as an assistant engineer in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia under J.C. Cresson, but left Philadelphia the same year to join the first topography survey of Yellowstone National Park under geologist, Ferdinand V. Hayden. From 1873-1874, Hering was a resident engineer for the Girard Street Bridge in Philadelphia and later became an assistant engineer (1875 to 1880) for various Philadelphia municipal construction projects, notably bridges and sewers.
To prevent the spread of contagious diseases in the United States, Hering was commissioned by the National Board of Health to investigate European sewage practices from May 10, 1880 to May 25, 1881. Hering's report included a discussion of dry-removal vs. water-carriage systems, but Hering endorsed the water carriage system for the United States, a method for the disposal of wastes, where water carries the wastes from its point of production to the point of treatment for final disposal. Depending on the conditions of a location, Hering advocated that a combination of systems was advisable. Combined systems (one pipe conveyed household waste and stormwater) were best for large cities and separate systems (two separate pipes conveyed household waste and stormwater) were best for small cities. Hering's work was concerned with both the design and construction of water supply and sewage works in the United States and other countries.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series: Sanitation (NMAH.AC.0060)
Provenance:
Collection donated by Samuel A. Greeley of Greeley and Hansen, 1967.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Sanitation forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Subseries 1.1: Subject Categories. The Subject Categories subseries is divided into 470 subject categories based on those created by Mr. Warshaw. These subject categories include topical subjects, types or forms of material, people, organizations, historical events, and other categories. An overview to the entire Warshaw collection is available here: Warshaw Collection of Business Americana
Materials in the Archives Center:
Archives Center Collection of Business Americana (AC0404)
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Missing Title
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Sanitation is a portion of the Business Ephemera Series of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Accession AC0060 purchased from Isadore Warshaw in 1967. Warshaw continued to accumulate similar material until his death, which was donated in 1971 by his widow, Augusta. For a period after acquisition, related materials from other sources (of mixed provenance) were added to the collection so there may be content produced or published after Warshaw's death in 1969. This practice has since ceased.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Genre/Form:
Ephemera
Business ephemera
Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Sanitation, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Province: Canal Zone, Chagres River- N of Gamboa, massive network seen under aquatic grasses near shore, Station 17, Pan Canal Sanitation Division., Canal Zone, Colón, Panama, Central America - Neotropics
4 Digital files ((1 data disk DVD-R digital, 24-bit 96kHz WAV.)))
Container:
Box 2, Folder 26
Box 4, Cassette 14A
Box 4, Cassette 14B
Box 4, Cassette 14C
Box 5, Disk 14A & 14B
Box 5, Disk 14C
Type:
Archival materials
Audio
Sound cassettes
Sound discs
Digital files
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia Community Museum
Date:
1970- 19 Mar 1971
2007 September 14
Scope and Contents:
Norris Scott, an African American man born on November 13, 1888, and his wife Claudine (née Blires) Trivers Scott, an African American woman born around 1893, discuss what Anacostia was like throughout their marriage, with Norris being from the area. They talk about the changing demographics of the neighborhood; what recreation was available for African American residents then, such as Eureka and Green Willow Parks for playing sports (baseball and rugby) as well as Ottaway Holmes for boating; what typical occupations, such as laborers and domestic workers; how the biggest churches at that time were Campbell AME Church and Bethlehem Baptist Church; and about banking at the only bank in the neighborhood, the Anacostia Bank (now Anacostia National Bank).
The Scotts also speak about the construction of public housing and Suitland Parkways starting in the 1940s and how those projects changed Anacostia. Additionally, they discuss how segregation and integration impacted the community, particularly how different administrations, such as the Wilson Administration, made racial tension worse. They conclude the interview providing information about the current problems of the neighborhood: transportation, sanitation, and crime.
Claudine (née Blires) Trivers Scott and Norris Scott were interviewed on December 5, 1970, by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.
General:
Claudine's maiden name is Blires. Her first husband's last name is Trivers (she is the mother of George J. Trivers) and Norris Scott is her second husband.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
1 Digital file ((1 data disk DVD-R digital, 24-bit 96kHz WAV.)))
Container:
Box 2, Folder 30
Box 4, Cassette 32
Box 5, Disk 32
Type:
Archival materials
Audio
Sound discs
Sound cassettes
Digital files
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Fort Stanton (Washington, D.C.)
Anacostia Community Museum
Date:
1970- 19 Mar 1971
2007 September 14
Scope and Contents note:
Russell Lockwood Paxton, an African American man born around 1911, discusses his experiences in Anacostia since moving there in 1948. He recalls his time as a child in Northwest Washington D.C., attending Dunbar High School, visiting his friends in Anacostia, socialization, and recreational centers like the YMCA. He also talks about typical government jobs residents held in the 1940s and 1950s; how Washington D.C. was integrated but has "unwritten rules" for African American residents; how close-knit families and the communities used to be; church-going and Sunday school; and Home Rule and other political involvement of his neighbors.
Paxton discusses important landmarks in the neighborhood, including the Frederick Douglass Home and the Fort Stanton Recreation Center, as well as the different civic associations and community organizations he is a part of, including the Dr. Charles Qualls Anacostia Coordinating Committee and the Police Precinct Advisory Committee. Throughout the interview, he lists community leaders, such as Almore Dale, Ledru Koontz, Ella Foster, and James Banks. He ends the interview speaking about the current problems in Anacostia: crime, sanitation, and public housing and transportation.
Russell Lockwood Paxton was interviewed on January 8, 1971, by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Thomas Taylor, an African American man, talks about his time growing up in Anacostia and the changes he has seen over the years. He discusses common occupation for African American residents at the Navy Yard, St. Elizbeth's Hospital and Boiling Field while others worked jobs such as blacksmiths, farmers, police officers, and postal service workers. He speaks about how he dropped out of high school to work but later high school became compulsory after the 1940s. He recalls important neighborhood businesses at the time, including Dr. Shipley's Pharmacy and the Craig Farms, where they harvest tomatoes, string beans, and watermelons. He recalls typical recreational activities at that time, such as picnicking at Green Willow Park and attending dances at Birney Elementary School. He also provides information about local churches, including Campbell AME Church, St. Philip's Church, and Bethlehem Baptist Church. He recalls geographical boundaries and civic associations in Anacostia.
Taylor recalls the police force and race relations in Anacostia, as well as interactions between business owners. He recalls important historic landmarks, such as the Frederick Douglass Home, the Uniontown train station, and the Garfield Dance Hall. He discusses community organizing and leadership, listing John Henry Dale Jr., Emma Smith, and Mary Smith as notable community leaders. He ends the interview describing current issues in the neighborhood with sanitation, crime, and the lack of proper medical care in Anacostia.
Thomas Taylor was interviewed in March of 1971 by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
William Dyson, an African American man born around 1899, and his wife, Daisy Dyson, an African American woman born 1903, talk about what life was like after moving to Anacostia in 1941. They discuss attending local public schools, such as Armstrong High School, and the geographic boundaries of the neighborhood and its communities (Congress Heights, Uniontown, and Hillsdale-Barry Farm), including the Anacostia River and Nicholas Street. They describe what recreation was popular (going to the beach, picnicking, and playing at parks) as well as which denominations people followed. They speak about how close knit the community and families were; racial tension and segregation in Anacostia; the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and about the police force.
The Dysons recall important neighborhood landmarks, such as Gallinger Hospital, Frederick Douglass Home and Lincoln Park. Other topics of discussion include sanitation, transportation, and newspapers.
William and Daisy Dyson were interviewed by John Bradshaw on January 6, 1971. Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for some parts.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
John Henry Jr. Dale, an African American man born in 1888, and his wife, Lucille Emma Patterson Dale, an African American woman born in 1890, talk about their experiences growing up and living in the Anacostia neighborhood. Topics of discussion include the geographical boundaries of the communities (including how they were segregated), how the name Anacostia came about, typical occupations and incomes, family structures, and what education was available at various times. They describe various recreational activities, church attendance, and politics. They also discuss the changing race relations between the white and African American residents of Anacostia.
John Henry Jr. and Lucille both recall important neighborhood businesses and landmarks, such as the Anacostia Bank, Campbell AME Church, and Mason's Funeral Home. They include information about community leaders and civic associations. They end the interview noting pressing current issues the neighborhood faces, including employment, sanitation, and transportation.
John Henry Jr. Dale and Lucille Emma Patterson Dale were interviewed by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
2 Sound discs ((1 sound disk CD-R (00:45:17). digital, 16-bit 44.1 KhZ)(1 sound disk CD-R (00:44:02). digital, 16-bit 44.1 KhZ))
1 Digital file ((1 data disk DVD-R digital, 24-bit 96kHz WAV.)))
Container:
Box 2, Folder 17
Box 4, Cassette 35
Box 4, Cassette 35B
Box 5, Disk 35
Type:
Archival materials
Audio
Sound cassettes
Sound discs
Digital files
Oral histories (document genres)
Place:
Anacostia (Washington, D.C.)
Anacostia River (Md. and Washington, D.C.)
Anacostia Community Museum
Date:
1970- 1971 March 19
2007 September 14
Scope and Contents note:
James Banks, an African American man born in 1920, discusses growing up in Anacostia for the first 22 years of his life. He discusses topics such as education at Birney Elementary and Dunbar High and playing baseball in the sandlots or swimming in the Anacostia River. He talks about the geographical boundaries of the neighborhood as well as the changing demographics; how most families gardened and raised smaller livestock like chickens and pigs; segregation between the communities; and important landmarks in the area, such as Douglass Hall and Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Banks mentions the prominent community members, including Elzie Hoffman, Almore Dale, Fannie Shipley, James Smoot, Martha Ellis, and Cora Wilkerson. He also speaks about the issues the neighborhood faces regarding the lack of healthcare, sanitation, and housing for residents.
James Banks was interviewed by John Bradshaw on February 22, 1971. Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Mary Kidd, a white woman, discusses her life in Anacostia after she moved to the neighborhood from Canada in 1962. She talks about education, particularly public schooling in Canada; the common occupations in the neighborhood, such as laborers and clerks for the government; recreation, including basketball at local parks and nearby swimming pools; closeknit family structures and female-led households; and churches residents attended, such as Bethlehem Baptist Church and Faith Presbyterian Church. She also goes in depth about the racial tension in the neighborhood, recalling specific incidents over the last 8 years.
She speaks about the Southeast Neighborhood House and the Southeast Neighborhood Action Board, where she got to know community leaders, such as James Coates, Etta Horn, Stanley Anderson, and Theresa Jones. Other topics of discussion include Frederick Douglass Home, the Police Advisory Council, and other people to interview, such as Zora Martin Felton and William Raspberry. She ends the interview talking about the numerous current pressing problems of the neighborhood today: overcrowding in schools, the police force, inadequate housing and welfare programs, the pervasiveness of drugs, and the lack of proper sanitation and public transportation.
Mary Kidd was interviewed on December 12, 1970, by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Florine Smith McLendon, an African American woman born around 1896, discusses growing up in and around Anacostia with her brother, Stanley Smith. McLendon talks about the geographic segregation of white and African American residents, the Anacostia Bank (now the Anacostia National Bank), the Hillsdale Civic Association and the Barry Farm Civic Association, and Douglass Hall. Other topics of discussion include the building of the community center and low-income houses, the work of the community leaders, such as John Henry Dale Jr. and James Smoot as well as their families, and the changing presence of the police force. She ends the interview talking about the sanitation, transportation, and newspapers available when she was younger.
Florine Smith McLendon was interviewed on December 5, 1970, by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Frances Mason Jones, an African American woman born around 1916, talks about what the Anacostia neighborhood was like after she moved there in 1949. She discusses schools and Parent Teach Associations as well as which churches residents attended, such as Campbell AME Church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and Anacostia Methodist Church. She recalls geographic boundaries of the neighborhood, and they were segregated. Jones mentions important landmarks, such as Douglass Hall and the Anacostia Bank (now known as Anacostia National Bank). She describes what politics were like in the 1950s in Anacostia as well as the various civic associations in Anacostia, including the Hillsdale Civic Association, Business and Professional Women's League, and Consolidated Parenthood.
Jones also speaks about community organizing and leadership in Anacostia, particularly the efforts of John Henry Dale Jr., Rebecca Harris, and Stanley Anderson. She lists other important residents, including the Howard family, Henry Sayles Jr. and his brother Frank Sayles, Dr. Charles Qualls, and Ledru Koontz. She discusses her volunteering and work with Consolidated Parenthood as well as the changes she has seen in community leadership over the last few years, particularly regarding political involvement. She ends the interview talking about how sanitation and the overcrowding of schools are significant issues Anacostia is currently facing.
Frances Mason Jones was interviewed by John Bradshaw on December 1, 1970. There is no digital audio file available for this interview; interview transcript and notes are available for this interview.
Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
